Matter has observable physical properties and the potential to mix and form new materials.

*All matter is made up of atoms, which are far too small to see directly through a microscope.
*Atoms are always in motion with the smallest motion in solids and the largest motion in gases.
*Elements are the basic building blocks of matter that cannot be broken down chemically and are made up all of the same type of atoms.
*There are over one hundred known elements each with characteristic properties from which all other matter is made.
*There are groups of elements that have similar properties including highly reactive metals, less reactive metals, highly reactive nonmetals, and some almost completely non-reactive gasses.
*A substance has characteristic properties such as density, boiling point, freezing point, solubility, all of which are independent of the mass or volume of the sample.
*Materials are characterized by having a specific amount of mass in each unit of volume (density).
*Changing the state of matter may change its density but not its composition.
*When two or more substances are combined, they may form a mixture and maintain their original properties or they may react chemically to form a new substance with new properties.
*Compounds may only be broken down into simpler types of matter (elements) by chemical means.

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